Pubs' extra hours LICENSING chiefs have allowed six town centre pubs to extend their opening hours despite police claims it could lead to greater violence and crime after closing time.

The Jubilee, Grapes, Malt and Hops, Bentleys Cafe Bar, Sir Charles Napier and Baroque in Blackburn were granted public entertainment licences extending their opening hours up to 2am.

They will now be asking magistrates to allow them to continue serving alcohol until late into the night to match their opening hours. Police say although they are disappointed with the council's decision they will continue to oppose the move.

Blackburn with Darwen Council licensing committee chairman Coun Jim Blackburn said: "The ball is in the magistrates court now."

He said the police's objection had not been to the granting of later opening hours, but the extension of drinking time resulting in everyone leaving the pubs at the same time.

He said police had been concerned people would leave the pubs all at once making control of the streets more difficult and increasing the risk of violence and disorder.

But Coun Blackburn said: "Utopia has an entertainments licence to 3am and a special hours certificate allowing them to sell alcohol until 2am, and over that hour's difference there is a staggered period for people to leave." He said this suited the police's requirements. Coun Blackburn said: "The ball is now in the magistrates' court, and they need to read the police report and act accordingly. If they grant the special hours certificates that's their business."

Sean Duckworth, owner of the Grapes and one of the independent publicans calling for a "level playing field" for local pubs to compete, said the next stage was to get magistrates permission to continue serving alcohol later into the evening.

Two other pubs, Cubes and Moist, have already been allowed to stay serving alcohol until 2am, but police are trying to have these licences revoked. Although they did not oppose the bars staying open later because they thought it may help stagger "chucking out" times across the town, they had not wanted them to continue serving alcohol until 2am.

Mr Duckworth said the police argument that later opening would push crime figures up had been shown to be wrong.

Sgt Andy Cameron of Blackburn police licensing unit admitted he was disappointed the council had increased the opening time and said it was likely police would oppose the pubs' application to serve alcohol later at night.

He said crime had increased through the day according to their figures, but that was partially due to recent changes in recording crime. He said: "The way we interpret the information is we said it was easier to police when the pubs close at the times they do now."